Objective: To figure out the frequency and severity of adverse complications and events in acupuncture treatment reported from 1980 to 2013 in China.Data Sources: All first-hand case reports of acupuncture-related complications and adverse events that could be identified in the Chinese language literatures were reviewed and classified according to the type of complication and adverse event, circumstance of the event, and long-term patient outcome.Study Selection: The selected case reports were published between 1980 and 2013 in 3 databases.Data Extraction: Relevant papers were collected and analyzed by 2 reviewers.Over the 33 years, t092 incidents were identified in 196 relevant papers all reported from China.Results: The complications were caused by acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint injection, cupping, and other methods.Especially, pneumothorax and Syncope are the main complications of acupuncture.Adverse effects included internal organ, tissue or nerve injury, syncope, infections, hemorrhage, allergy, burn, aphonia, hysteria, cough, thirty, fever, somnolence, fat liquefraction, subcutaneous induration, and broken needles.Conclusions: Pneumothorax and syncope are the main complications of acupuncture.New complications will come out as different techniques are used in traditional Chinese medicine.